thearena | (no subject)

Who: Sandy and anyone interested in her.
What: Spying on others, trying to stay out of trouble and hopefully finding Pruna.
Where: Starting at The Platform Station
when: week two
Warnings/notes: Since Sandy will be using the TVs in the Platform Station, feel free to pop in with a little bit about what she might see you doing wherever you are on the island.

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As far as partners go, Sandy was pretty sure she must be the worst one to have.

As soon as the game had begun she was off like a shot, gathering up supplies and trying to vanish into the forest. Her size was her advantage as once she dove for cover under some bushes more then a few larger tributes had trampled past her not noticing her as she heaved to catch her breath and protect her goodies.

Once things had calmed down, Sandy lay still in her bush for what felt like hours. She wanted to be absolutely sure that everyone was gone. This was rewarded when she heard a few stragglers come back to pick over the area for anything left behind.

Finally, when she was sure the area was clear she rose up out of the leaves and vines, and went over what she had managed to grab in her frantic flight from the starting position. An impressive haul to say the least. Much better then last time.

Slinking along the edge of the clearing she was alert, listening for any signs of trouble. It was in this slow and methodical fashion she traveled until she found the door.

It was on the south side of the platform where the Cornucopia had been. A rusted door that looked like it had been forgotten in the madness that accompanied every arena opening.

Scurrying through the grass Sandy's glances darted all around for other tributes, as well as frequently to the grass to make sure she wasn't about to step into a trap. Just the thought was enough to make Sandy's leg throb with memories of her mangling from the last arena.

It took some effort, alot of effort actually but the pain in her fingers and shoulders from wrestling with the door would be forgotten as she slipped inside and discovered what secrets this station held.

Televisions! So many and they were functional! She could see all around the arena with these things. Nothing behind the scenes but one by one she picked out faces she knew before the screens could flick to another view.

Was this supposed to be here? Had she stumbled across some forgotten gamemaker station on accident?

No...she couldn't possibly be so lucky.

Still she was alone and with all these screens she was likely to see attackers coming before they found her. Time to crack open a can of tuna and see what was on TV.
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That was a full week ago. Her food supplies dwindling Sandy knows she can't stay here forever. She needs to use the bow and arrows that she won in the cornucopia and try to hunt down some more food.

...or other tributes.

Guilt gnawed at her guts as she scanned the TVs again. Pruna had been hurt...badly. And she hadn't been able to leave to go after her because...much to Sandy's conflicted feelings, the door appeared to lock tight every so often. By the time it was open again Sandy had lost sight of Pruna on the cameras.

And so here she sat, desperate for a plan that didn't involve losing her very easy to defend hiding place but also allowed for her to get food, water, and Pruna. There was no doubt about it. She was going to have to leave soon.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sandy was about to crack open one of her last few cans of tuna when she saw the motion on the cameras.

Pruna!

Abandoning her food she grabbed up the bow and scrambled for the door, tripping just before it and crashing out the door with a loud "BANG!" Flipping onto her back and rolling in the grass. She was dazed but sat up instinctively and began looking around. The camera had been nearby right? She had to be here!

Shepard had been, as was their habit, walking a careful distance from Pruna. Not much farther than the narrow line of sight, but far enough that one ambush was unlikely to take them both, and Pruna the more tempting target. Bait and trap, just as before, when—

BANG!

"Kid, you hear that?" It had come from the direction of the Cornucopia.

"I did be." Pruna nodded turning towards the noise, with her whole body. That made her hurt a bit less then just moving her head.

She took a step towards the noise, finding more cover as she did. After all better to find the source first before it found you and took you by surprise.

Sandy trotted around the starting area scanning the tree line for her friend. "I thought she was right here." She groaned.

Then out of the corner of her eye, a flash of movement.

"Ashley?" She called and approached slowly, bow in hand and wishing she was a decent shot with the arrows.

Shepard crouched, more atop Pruna than behind her as they found dubious refuge behind the vegetation. For once, she was bigger than someone and more than happy to take advantage. All they had to do was wait.

The figure came on slowly, and in a moment he'd be in range. It was just a kid, maybe, but the silhouette said 'armed.' That bow could come in damn useful, and around here, supply was always in demand.

Ashley? That was...

"Wait," she stood, slowly, rising head and shoulders over the foliage, "Sandy?"

Pruna's eyes raised, because as far as she knew no one was called Ashley except her, and only Sandy called her that.

As Shepard stood up Pruna lept out of the bush, "Sandy!" She at least gave the area a good look, checking for danger with her good eye even as she ran towards her friend.

"You do be being awake." She had her weapon out, for anyone who might come towards them, or if Shepard decided Sandy was worth taking out anyways, because Pruna wouldn't let her hurt her friend.

Shepherd? And Pruna!

With an excited cheer Sandy waved to Pruna as she approached and hugged her close, paying attention to where the weapon was.

"Yeah I'm awake! I've been stuck inside that building." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at where the cornucopia had been. The hard platform that it sat on was actually the roof of a small building with a raised mound of land around it.

"There's TVs in there that show the whole arena. I've been seeing you guys on them!"

Shepard followed the line of her thumb and frowned. Surveillance? That... Could be damn useful. And beyond that, it had a door. What couldn't be locked could be jammed, or barricaded, and it was good odds that the damn thing wouldn't flood, like the rest of the island seemed to be trying it's hardest to do every night.

"You're telling me that we have feed access in there?" Oh, Garrus has got to hear this one, "What do you mean, stuck?"

Pruna returned the hug and then drew back, looking Sandy over with her good eye, checking for any injuries. She didn't seem to have any. Good.

She looked over at the direction she was pointing, thinking along the same lines of Shepard, somewhere to shelter that was defensible could be wise. Especially if it had televisions in there, seeing the arena would be smart.

She didn't say anything, just waited for Sandy to answer Shepard's question.

"Stuck." Sandy reiterated. "Like once I was inside the door wouldn't open for a good long time. And whenever it did, you guys weren't anywhere near so I didn't want to risk it.

She waved with her hand and started leading them to the entrance. She trusted them both after all so it was OK right?

The door itself seemed closed tight and as Sandy curled her fingers around the handle she muttered "Oh please oh please oh please..."

It popped open easily.

"Score!"